Water rights are adjudicated when a judge determines how much water a person is entitled to use and how far back those rights date. Less than a fourth of the water rights in the state have been adjudicated.
Adjudications currently under way:
(Northern areas, Pecos and Lower Rio Grande)
- Total irrigated acres: 462,025
- Adjudicated acres: 270,543
- Defendants: 65,154
Adjudications still to come and irrigated acres:
- Middle Rio Grande: 150,000 acres
- Rio Grande above Otowi: 15,000 acres
- Rio Embudo: 5,000 acres
- Canadian River: 25,000 acres
- Union County: 30,000 acres
- Gallup: 10,000 acres
Estimated cost to finish all adjudications, except Middle Rio Grande:
- $95 million over 15 years
Estimated cost to finish Middle Rio Grande adjudication:
- $280 million over 40 years
Source: State Engineer's Office
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